Enjoy Life
Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment (Ecclesiastes 11:9).
Iain Provan, in his commentary on Ecclesiastes asks an important question. Why is it that many religious peoples lives are characterized by fear and defensiveness, by a joy suppressing legalism that is more concerned to "do the right thing" than to revel in God's blessing?
He goes on to say that the writer of Ecclesiastes is "...concerned that people 'do the right thing' but the first and foremost 'right thing' is to revere God as God, and we do not do this by suggesting through the way we live our lives that God is a mean-spirited and harsh tyrant. We do not honor God by proclaiming (falsely) in our attitudes and actions that he is the kind of person to create a wonderful world and then systematically to forbid his creatures to enjoy it. All other 'right things' have to proceed, rather, from the primary 'right thing' of rightly relating to God as God truly is. It is when this is a reality that virtue flows out of love...rather than fear, because fear has to do with punishment (I John 4:18)...
John Calvin writes, If we study, for instance, why he has created the various kinds of food, we shall find that it was his intention not only to provide for our needs, but likewise for our pleasure and for our delight...In herbs, trees, and fruit, besides being useful in various ways, he planned to please us by thy gracious lines and pleasant odors. For if this were not true, the psalmist would not enumerate among the divine blessings "the wine that makes glad the heart of man, and the oil that makes his face to shine. And he would not declare everywhere that he has given all these things to mankind that they might praise his goodness...Should the Lord have attracted our eyes to the beauty of the flowers and our sense of smell to pleasant odors, and should it then be sin to drink them in...In one word, has he not made many things worthy of our attention that go far beyond our needs (From Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life).
The writer of Ecclesiastes wants us to know that life is fleeting (a possible translation). And that it is right to pursue joy, to "let your heart cheer you..." He is concerned about heart and eyes, about touch and smell.
God's name has often been taken in vain by those whose focus is on issuing commands without giving reasons and without showing that the commands of God (not the same as our rules) are not evidence of God's tyranny but in fact display the pathway to joy. The philosopher, John Locke said, "It is easier for a tutor to command than to teach." The Psalmist declared that the commands of the Lord "give joy to the heart and light to the eyes" (Psalm 19:8).
There are several things that we must remember as we learn to glorify God by enjoying life:
A. We are commanded to pursue joy (11:9). The Bible uses words like "rejoice" and "cheer." Enjoy the life that God has granted. Don't forget his benefits.
B. Remember accountability. We have to give an account for life to God (11:9). Therefore we should avoid foolishness and sin but we also must give an account to God if we choose to live a closeted life with eyes that do not see, a mouth that does not savor or laugh, ears that cannot hear beautiful music, hands that cannot be lifted in praise and feet that cannot dance. We will give an account for not enjoying God by enjoying the gifts that he has given. Life is but a vapor, a brief moment and it is temporary in it's present form. But God is not a tyrant but one who delights in His children by giving them colors, taste-buds, smells, mountain-tops. God loves to be generous even to prodigals who come home.
C. Keep perspective. Difficult days are coming. Seize life now while health and faculties remain with an eye to God's glory and an understanding of it's brevity. As a Puritan prayed, "Lord stamp eternity on my eyeballs." Why, so that in pondering death he might learn to live. (12:1-9). Life is precious it is a golden bowl held by a silver cord and one day the cord will be snapped and our time on earth will be done; "only whats done for Christ will last."
D. Live Purposefully. Above our bed is the phrase, "Always kiss me goodnight." A reminder to me that even as I go to bed with brain racing with all that has happened in the course of the day and all that awaits me in the morning to follow; don't forget to enjoy and give joy. Kiss now because in the morning I may no longer be able to kiss. Don't miss daily things, opportunities.
E. Reverence God and Revel in Live. Provan says, "reverence for God and reveling in life are compatible. God is as interested in what we do with our lives as he is from what we refrain from doing." What do we do with the gifts. I have been convicted lately that numerous times over the years when my wife or children have given me a gift that I took that gift lightly. Sometimes, I put it away never to see it again. I had no interest in the gift. Yet, I missed a lot more than the gift during those times. I missed that I was given a gift by a giver that loved me. Infinitely more, God gives gifts and we foolishly assume that it is prudent that we do not taste, smell, sing, clap, dance, laugh, shout, cry, weep, rejoice. Many professing Christians are more like stoics than God-loving, life embracing, joyful recipients of God's good gifts.
F. Learn the lessons of death. Reality must be proclaimed especially since many young people today, unlike most of their predecessors throughout history gain little direct experience of death even through the family experience. They have little contact with the dead, even when it is a relative and little experience with nursing the dying. It is all too easy for mortality to have never stared them in the face and challenged them about their identity and value.
G. "Love God and do what you want." Augustine.
The Lord's Day shouts to us, if we have ears to hear, that God is great (Creation in six days) and God is good. Rest in Him, enjoy His benefits! Enjoy you life, while you can. Anchor yourself to God so that even the difficult days serve as a reminder that a greater joy awaits after this good and hard life has ended.
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